I visited Japan almost six years ago and am still inspired by the attention to detail and craftsmanship there. These cookies by Henteco bakery in Tokyo are just ridiculously cute. And, they now have a book, too!

Having designed mostly home decor products, I always love looking at patterns to see how each some work on home decor versus apparel. There are some that go better on pillows or blankets and some that are much more suited to clothing. But when you can get those patterns that work on both...now that's awesome. I'm loving these by Variety Hour...

2015 is the year of the blogger books! (I'm guilty of that one, too). With so many books out by many of my friends and colleagues in the blogging world, I wanted to share some of my favorites from this year with you...

Everyone in Los Angeles who loves art is all a buzz about The Broad museum which opened recently in Downtown LA. It's an incredible architectural space filled with amazing, cool, and kooky modern art built by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad. To celebrate our designer, Angie's, last week before she goes on maternity leave, we took an Oh Joy team field trip to get some colorful inspiration.

It was filled with work by some of my favorite modern artists including Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Keith Haring, Barbara Kruger, Jeff Koons, and more. And, of course, the breath-taking piece that is Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room. If you're in LA or plan to be in LA soon, you have to go. Tickets are free through the end of this year, but it books up fast so reserve in advance.

In our newest Career Day, we visited the studio of husband and wife team, Michaele and Johannes of Kalon Studios. I've been a fan of their beautiful furniture ever since I saw a photo of this beautiful crib they designed. When we use things in our home—like furniture—on such a regular basis, sometimes we forget the people who made or designed them. So it was a fun treat to get to see (and show Ruby) the process of what goes into designing furniture.

Together with Michaele and Johannes, Ruby made a small chair which she had so much fun making and using afterwards. Michaele and Johannes have converted their garage into a beautiful, working studio that their kids love to visit and see what their parents are up to. Here's a closer look into their beautifully designed world...

What’s your background and when and why did you start making furniture? / We were making furniture for ourselves long before we started Kalon. The company was a natural outgrowth of our lifestyle, practices and needs. We officially started Kalon when we had our first daughter. We were unable to find a crib we liked and made one for her. We were also struggling to find a way to support ourselves in a way that we could be equal participants in the home life. Neither one of us wanted to miss out on the early years with our children and neither wanted to be stuck at home alone. We were making a few other pieces at the same time, and someone suggested that we try to sell them. It was the first time we recognized ourselves as a design team and that we could sell the work we were making together. Those pieces became our first collection.

How did you figure out your signature style? / Kalon’s style is very much born out of the both of us, a convergence of our interests and aesthetics. It’s a true collaboration but, interestingly, not at all a compromise. A piece designed by either one of us would look very different than what we make together. What we design offers a lot of aesthetic space for different and/or changing tastes.

What is your dream for your brand? / For it to continue to support our family and continue to allow us to pursue our interests. For it to offer a way to rethink how things are produced, in the factory and for the consumer. For the pieces that we make to become truly cherished pieces in people’s homes. For the pieces we make to be timeless and to gain more value and meaning for the individual over time.

Best part about your job? / Getting to make whatever we want exactly the way we want to make it. It’s amazing that we can go down rabbit holes of personal interests and translate that into a project. It makes it so that the job never gets boring. There is always something to be passionate about. Being able to work from home so that we can be a part of our children’s younger years is also very special and rewarding.

Worst part about your job? / Having the home life, personal life and work life all rolled into one is complicated at times. It’s really difficult to draw the lines between the two. In a way, it’s both the best and worst part. Transitioning to home life, whatever that really means, is difficult. And in a word: production.

How do you make working with your spouse work? /We share many interests and aesthetics. We wouldn’t be working together if we both didn’t share a vision for our lives. For us, once we met, it was really about finding a way to shape a life where we could spend as much time together as possible. Now we have children, it’s extended to them as well. Our company grew out of that desire, and from the fact that we’re both incredibly stubborn people with a very strong, clear vision of how we want things to be. So, going our own way was sort of the only way.

How do you set your work schedules around your family life? / When we started there was no separation. As the company has grown and time has passed, we’ve made a concerted effort to separate things as much as possible. The girls being in school full-time helped, and we try to keep our work day within their school hours. Once they are home, the studio doors are open to them and we make room for them so that it is their space as much as ours.

I loved seeing working, entrepreneur parents in their element and how their businesses fit in with their personal lives. Their home is a reflection of their style and their work with almost every piece crafted or designed by them. It's true reflection of how design comes out of need and the pure desire to make something exactly the way you want it.

In our newest Career Day, I took Ruby to visit the studio of Kim West, a painter living and working in Downtown Los Angeles. We came across one of her amazing murals recently, and after that I had to see and learn more about her. So one afternoon, I picked Ruby up from school and said "We're gonna go paint at an artist's studio! You can paint right on the wall, and it's okay if your clothes get dirty." She was more excited for this then the day that puppies came to our office.

The minute you walk into Kim's studio, the saturated colors, beautiful line work, light, and wit come through in her work and in every inch of her space. She's warm, kind, and as the mother of two kids...she armed Ruby with a paint brush, paints in every color, and gave her an afternoon to remember. Here's a little more about the life and work of this amazing painter...

What’s your background and when did you start painting? / I was taught to hold a paintbrush before I learned to walk or talk. Though she's semi-retired now, my mom is an art teacher and art historian, and as such, creative play and art education were a part of my daily childhood for as long as I can recall. And still, though I always found painting and making things to be as natural and necessary as breathing, I never labeled myself as an 'artist'. This changed for me when, at the end of my first year of a pre-law schedule at a Smith College, I decided to transfer to the painting department at Rhode Island School of Design. In every sense of the word, that choice was a relief.

When/how did you figure out your signature style? / My work is essentially the result of an on-going series of responsive investigations to what is happening around me, and so it’s continually evolving. In all of that, it is fair to say that strong, emotive color is a constant for me, and the use of it is a thread that connects disparate bodies of my work together.

Best part about your job? / My first summer job at age 10 was working on an assembly line in a fertilizer plant. Throughout college and for a while after, my jobs were mainly in restaurants and bars where I waited on lots and lots of tables. Most of these jobs ranged from truly terrible to blah, but the experience of them serves as a reminder to recognize that as a painter, I never feel like I am working a job. Although painting is work, and that work can be hard or stressful or frustrating at times, in general it’s also my sanity and without the ritual of its’ practice I am sad and lost.

Worst part about your job? / On a bad day, feeling like a teeny drop in the gigantic art-world bucket.

Favorite Day of the Week? / A Sunday/Monday crossover. I love Sundays with my husband and children - starting out lazy and then spending time outside with no agenda other than to enjoy the day and see where it takes us, typically for a hike, heading to the beach or a museum, or seeing friends. Mondays in the studio make me happy because even though the week is only 5 short days, on Monday it seems long and possible to fit so much into those hours.

If there were two of you, what other type of business or job would the other Kim have? / At this point, I can’t envision being anything other than a painter. But I would definitely consider a clone.

One thing that has happened in your career that you never expected? / I didn’t set out to paint murals; that was set in motion over a chance encounter regarding bathroom paper products.

One thing that has happened in your career that you completely expected and had hoped for? /I have always expected and hoped that at the end of each work day, I would feel satisfied with at least some of the day’s progress, and would leave the studio excited to return for more. I am grateful to report that happens almost every day.

At the end of the afternoon with Kim, we had to take off Ruby's romper since she was covered in wet paint. She walked to the car in just her undies and said, "This was the best day ever!" Thanks so much Kim for sharing your world with us!

I love getting to expose my kids to so many cool jobs that exist out there. Whether it's through my community of entrepreneurial friends that I surround myself with or the people I get to meet through my job, I always enjoying showing how anyone can create a job for themselves from scratch.

Inspired by that notion, I want to start sharing with you some of the people that I'm lucky enough to come across. People that have cool jobs—jobs that aren't typical, and jobs that come from a true love of what they do. It's like career day at school but with a twist!

Today, I'm sharing a peek into the world of a kid's fashion designer, Michelle Chaplin of Ultra Violet Kids. I came across Michelle's clothing last month and instantly wished the clothes she made came in my size. They're edgy yet comfortable and combine bite-sized pieces with great prints (I mean, that mini crop top?!? I can't even...). Here's a look at her Los Angeles studio and a few fun facts...

What did you think you wanted to be when you grew up? I have always known I wanted to be a fashion designer.

What’s your background and when/why did you start Ultra Violet? For the past 15 years, I have been working as a women's contemporary designer. I have worked for other companies making their visions come to life as well as having my brand, Smoke & Mirrors, with Emily Harteau of Our Open Road.

When my daughter, Violet, was born I was happily unemployed and started a little Etsy store selling vintage kids clothing. For Violet's birthday, I made her a crop top and harem pants out of African fabric. All of my friends loved it, so that's when the light bulb in my head went on. I secured my domain, started branding, picked up my first account, and that was the beginning of Ultra Violet Kids.

When did you know you had something good? I knew I had something special when customers started buying the clothing, giving me positive feedback, and when press and stores started contacting me. Instagram has been so crucial in the growth and awareness of Ultra Violet Kids. I get to see all the pictures of kids wearing their clothing, and it makes me extremely proud. My mom jokes that I always said I wanted to clothe the world but I didn't say what size.

Best part about your job? The best part of my job is designing and creating fashion.

Worst part about your job? The hardest part of my job is managing production.

Style muse? My daughter Violet is my muse and inspiration.

What do you hope the brand will become someday? I dream of being able to grow the company, giving back, and expanding into women's again. But right now I'm happy with growing it organically. I hope that Ultra Violet Kids becomes a recognized brand that you can always count on for fashion forward, quality clothing that's made in the USA.

In the past few years, there’s been a huge resurgence in handmade goods and the appreciation for the people who make these one-of-a-kind goods. In partnership with American Express in support of the Shop Small® movement, here’s a look at a few of my favorite makers right now whose work I personally love wearing or having in my home. Also, because I love hearing how small business owners evolve over time, I asked each of them one thing they have learned as a small business owner...

I've been under the weather for the last few days, so these illustrations by Monica Ramos just make me laugh. I'd love to be diving into a donut or sleeping on a giant piece of bread right about now...

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